title: Immunotoxicity in ascidians: antifouling compounds alternative to organotins - II. The case of Diuron and TCMS pyridine.
abstract: Using short-term hemocyte cultures of the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri exposed to various sublethal concentrations of Diuron (3-(3,4-diclorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) and TCMS pyridine (2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-(metylsulphonyl)pyridine), we evaluated their immunotoxic effects through a series of cytochemical assays previously used for organotin compounds. At concentrations higher than 250 micro M and 10 micro M for Diuron and TCMS pyridine, respectively, both biocides exerted immunosuppressant effects on Botryllus hemocytes, causing i) deep changes in the cytoskeleton that irreversibly affect cell morphology and phagocytosis, ii) induction of DNA damage, iii) leakage of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes due to membrane alteration. Unlike organotin compounds, Diuron and TCMS pyridine do not inhibit cytochrome-c-oxidase, and only TCMS pyridine triggers oxidative stress. When co-present, they exert an antagonistic interaction on cytoskeletal components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Adams
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menin
authors.forename: Loriano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ballarin
authors.forename: Marcantonio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bragadin
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004237:Diuron / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004798:Enzymes / Q000187:drug effects; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D010150:Paint; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000633:toxicity*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D006540:Herbicides; D011725:Pyridines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004237:Diuron; C023666:pyridine